Did the Tour da Woods (15 mile version)

Mass start ~55 riders. Took fifth overall. I couldn't stay for age group results (40-49) so not sure about where I am there.

This is the first time I have ever been in the top 10% of a mass start race, and I have been dabbling in xc racing for about 10 years. Thanks to everyone on the forum and ashwinearls' blog. Couldn't have gotten there without reading and evaluating all the advice you guys give out.

I raced

I was going ok, but then clipped a tree stump with my pedal (those small ones you can''t see). I went down hard and was all twisted in the frame. My calf was in pain after that, but I pedaled it off and kept racing.
I felt better on the third lap when all of a sudden I went down even worse than first time.
Same damn spot. That's when I figured out it was my pedal hitting something.
I'm all scrapped and bruised.
I was debating between my Sugar and Hollowpoint. I wished I ridden the Hollowpoint, it has more clearance.

I raced the Mt. Laurel Classic in Wellsboro, Pa. yesterday. Despite having a stick go clean through my front wheel at about 20mph, launching me onto the pile of rocks that was pretending to be a trail, and getting a 15mm gash through my tire 1/2 mile from the finish (Stan's couldn't handle that one ) I hung on to win the Jr. Expert class, and come 13th overall in the Expert category. The race was a 22 mile loop, and I finished it in 1:58:somthing. 'Twas a good time.

tymor park, ny

I raced for the first time in 2.5 years today after being on my bike for the last 1.5 months. I came in middle of the pack in sport 30-39. The course was a nightmare, the hill from hell. I should learn to eat a little something before I race, second lap was probably 10 minutes faster, cause I started suckin down the endurox in my bottle. Feels good to be back, looking forward to the next race in the h2h series.

Thanks for the good vibe! I race the Helena, Montana WERKS XC race which was also the Montana State Championships and final race of the Montana Off Road Series (MORS). I raced Sport and got 6th out of 13. I finally made it into the top half! Plus I was the third placed NORBA licensed Sport racer, so I took home some bronze medal hardware. My first bike race hardware, not counting the growler of beer I won last year for winning the beginner devision of this race.

Don't forget to post up how you did dude, especially want to hear how the new "rocket" did/felt

I ended up placing forth after a bad start (12th in the woods) and a terrible choice of tires. I thought the course was going to be hard pack and fast so I took my Karma's. The course was red clay and slick since there were some really hard rains there on Thursday (at least thats what I was told). I was unable to use the bike to it's potential since the tires would not allow me to carry any speed in the turns. Once again, not able to get a true feel for the bike. It did climb great though, the engine just needs a little work.

Whats bad is after the race on my way home (4.5 hour drive) I somehow managed to be passed two more times. When I checked the results this morning I fell from forth place to sixth. Not sure how I got passed so many times after the race but I guess stranger things have happened. I was 12th in the woods and passed seven other sport riders. At this point there should have only been four other sport riders in front of me, one of which was a sport vet.

This race has no effect on my season since it isn't in my series so I'm not real concerned about it, at least not concerned enough to contact them asking questions.

Sunday was my first WORS race on my new to me 29 GF XCaliber. Did not do as well as my previous race this season but that was at my "home" trail. Ended up 17 of 21 but I did end up in the wrong gear going through a tight technical turn and stalled out. Got to the side and let about a dozen or so riders past me. Caught back up to a few of them but not enough. I'd say I lost a couple of minutes tops.

Loved the 29er. Need a good fork and my good set of wheels are being built right now. Now I gotta sell the Sugar+ so I can get the new Caliber 29er from GF.

I raced in the Bow80 yesterday. A single lap 80 km, 2500 M elevation(can you say hike a bike?) in Kananaskis country near Calgary. I'd hoped to finish mid pak in the 36-45 age group but can't find results online yet. They had an 8 hour time limit and I was in at 7 hours 33 minutes. Felt amazingly good throughout the day and even today.
The seasons over and I feel kinda let down. Now that I'm really fit it's over.